We attended the exclusive press unveiling of the new Sony Xperia XZ and X Compact Smartphones, where we were able to get a hands-on experience and test out the impressive Blur Free Photo feature. The tone of the event was very classy and fun, where we were encouraged to engage with a few activities that would present the perfect “real life” application of the camera on the new smartphone, where most other smartphone camera’s would capture blur or bad lighting.

Welcoming by Christian Haghofer

We were welcomed by Christian Haghofer, who is the Sony Mobile South Africa Country Manager. He moved to South Africa with his family about a year ago to focus on our local market.

Christian was very excited to tell us that the two new Sony devices were available for sale at the same time as the launch event in conjunction with some pre-order campaigns via Takealot, Vodacom and MTN.

I challenge you to put the Blur Free Photo feature through its paces at today’s event

Christian Haghofer, Sony Mobile SA Country Manager

About the Features

The secret behind the Blur Free Photo feature comes from the built in Triple Image Sensing Technology, which with its 3 Image Stabilizers allows for exceptionally fast Object Motion Tracking. This nifty little feature allows you to tap on a person or object, if you were attending a sporting function as an example, and the camera technology would keep the object in perfect focus, no matter how fast it was moving or whether it was getting closer or moving further away.

Even though the camera makes sure your selected object stays in focus, it also keeps the whole picture crisp and clear. Complimenting this, is the Noise Reduction Technology that again, focuses (pardon the unintentional pun) on keeping your photographs looking professional, by automatically optimizing the image vibrancy in low or bright light situations. The Rear Camera sports an impressive 23 MegaPixel depth and the Front Camera sits at 13 MegaPixels. What impressed me, was that you do not need to unlock or even touch your screen to activate the camera, as it has a dedicated camera button which literally allows you to whip your phone out of your pocket and take a perfect photograph in 0.2 seconds from Sleep Mode, so there are no more excuses for missing those “awwwwww” moments.

Testing out the object tracking feature

With us being on the move so much these days, battery power is always an issue,which the developers kept in mind, as the device comes with a “Type C” charge port, which allows for super fast charging. Should your battery power be in the red and you need to rush out for something important, you can have a “close to 100%” charge within 35 minutes. Whats even more impressive is the smartphone’s ability to study your charging patterns, which the device then uses to optimize your battery utilization during the day, maximizing how long your battery power lasts you. For your privacy, the device has a fingerprint sensor as well and should life happen, the device is waterproof for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1.5m.

The Sony Xperia XZ and X Compact come pre-loaded with Android Marshmallow and will be upgradable to Nougat at launch, with standard 32GB onboard storage, and is expandable to 256GB via SD Card. The main difference between the Xperia XZ and the Xperia X Compact, is the size, obviously with the Xperia X Compact being smaller. With a reduced size, it is only natural that there is less space for components, but not at the compromise of features or the same functionality as the Xperia XZ.

Availability

The Sony Xperia XZ and X Compact will be available on 1 November 2016.

I pretty much started gaming on Famicom! For those who didnt survive the flood on the ark with Noah, this was an 1980's 8-bit console using interchangeable cartridges. (Google it, it will blow your mind!). From there things got a bit more hardcore, and I started playing DOS-Based games, (Again...google is your friend.) and that progressed through Windows 3.1, until the present where I enjoy intense graphics, captivating story-lines, alternate endings and mind-numbing grinds on both PS4 and Windows PC. Other hobbies include DJ'ing House, Progressive, Trance, Tech and Minimal. I love watching Anime, my favorite shows are Naruto, Bleach and Sword Art Online. Epic, I know.